Series readers tell me how much they like Pepper, for her smarts, her loyalty, and her determination to use her skills to make the world a better place, by solving crime -- and by serving up tasty spices and blends. So today, I thought I'd share a few of her favorite blends, each of them my variation on a classic. Each has appeared in a book and on the blog, so you can follow the links to favorite recipes using the blends.
Two lucky winners will receive a $10 gift card to Bookshop. org. Talk to me in the comments for a chance to win -- tell me your favorite herb blend, a recipe you've tried from the series, or something you like about Pepper. Or guess her age! (Be sure to leave your email address.)
I shared my Herbes de Provence recipe, inspired by a delicious trip to France, in my very first post for Mystery Lovers' Kitchen as a member of the crew, which talks about my love for Seattle's Pike Place Market, where the Spice Shop series is set, and shares a recipe for Potato and Broccoli Frittata. (I'd been a guest before that.) The blend remains a household staple, especially good on potatoes and eggs, but in other dishes, too. I also love it in these Salted Olive Crisps.
Herbes de Provence
A savory touch, to transport your taste buds.2½ tablespoons dried oregano
2½ tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried savory
2 tablespoons dried crushed lavender flowers
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried sage
Mix spices in a small bowl. Store in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Makes just over half a cup.
As with all herb blends, experiment with your own touches. Let your taste be your guide. Other frequent additions: rosemary, sweet marjoram, or fennel seed. (Marjoram and oregano are distinct herbs but closely related and can be substituted for each other in some recipes.) Try a blend with whatever combination of the suggested herbs you have on hand. Then, next summer, grow a pot of lavender on your deck or in a sunny window!
Herbes de Provence are spectacular sprinkled on sautéed potatoes, rubbed on chicken before grilling, or best of all, in roast chicken and potatoes. Add them to a lamb or a vegetable stew—think eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini, maybe some cannellini (white beans). Use them to season homemade croutons or tomato sauce.
Wrap a teaspoon of Herbes de Provence in cheese cloth and tie with kitchen string to make an herb bouquet, also called a bouquet garni. Drop it into a small jar of olive oil for a few days to make an infusion for salads or sautées.
Pepper’s Italian Herb Blend 
Jerry finds Killing Thyme a tasty treat!
3 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried thyme
4 teaspoons dried marjoram
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes or garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried rosemary (break the needles with a mortar and pestle or in a small bowl with the back of a sturdy spoon)
Mix herbs in a small bowl. Yield: about 10 tablespoons, just over ½ cup.
A few recipe suggestions: This Herbed Black Bean and Pasta Recipe from Killing Thyme is---well, killer! (If you've read the book, you may remember what I mean!) As your summer garden comes on, , try it in this Late Summer Veggie Saute. And I used it recently in this Tomato Lovers' Minestrone, inspired by a bowl of soup in an airport restaurant!
Pumpkin Spice Blend is a perennial favorite at the Spice Shop. To be honest, I first created it for Butter Off Dead, the third book in my Food Lovers' Village mysteries, set in fictional Jewel Bay, Montana, based on the town where Mr. Right and I live. Erin Murphy is the star of the series, with her mother Francesca, aka Fresca, a hit with readers, too. And while Fresca is a bit of a food snob, she adores this blend Erin gave her for her morning coffee---and adds it to cookies, pound cake, and other treats as well. So when I created the Spice Shop mysteries, it was obvious that Pepper and her staff and customers would love it as much as Erin, Francesca, and I do!
Fresca’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee Blend 
from Butter Off Dead by Leslie Budewitz
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice or cloves, or a blend
dash of ground cardamom
1 teaspoon dried orange or lemon peel
Mix together in a small bowl and store in a jar or tin with a tight lid. For a pot of drip coffee, add ½ to 1 full teaspoon of the spice blend to the ground coffee. For a single cup of espresso, drip coffee, or French press coffee, use 1/4 teaspoon to start, until you know how much tastes just right to you.
Turbinado sugar is a good sweetener with this blend; add it to your cup or the blend. Feel free to experiment with the amounts and other spices, such as a vanilla bean. Trust your own taste buds, and have fun!
Thanks for taking this journey with Pepper and me. Food, flavor, and friends---what could be better? Leave a comment (with your email address) for a chance to win a gift card to Bookshop.org. And remember, stories are the spice of life.
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Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.
“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary
Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!
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